Pàgines

dimecres, 21 de desembre de 2011

Indian Navy to induct Russian submarine in 2012

The Indian Navy will induct a Russian-built Akula-II-class Nerpa K-152 nuclear submarine into its fleet in early 2012.

The
second submarine, which will be rechristened as INS Chakra, was leased
by the Indian Navy in a move to enhance the country's defence
capabilities.

The ten-year lease follows a $650m accord between
India and Russia, signed in January 2004, to lease the 110m-long, 8,140t
submarine Nerpa.

Capable of remaining underwater for months, the
vessel will bridge the operational gap until the commissioning of the
indigenously built nuclear submarine INS Arihant for the Indian Navy.

The
nuclear-powered submarine emits very low levels of sound while
operating underwater making it difficult to detect by enemy warships and
helicopters.

The Akula-II-class submarines have a strike range
of 3,000km and are armed with 28 nuclear-capable cruise missiles,
whereas the Indian version is expected to be integrated with the 300km
Club nuclear-capable missiles.

Indian naval teams have been undergoing training on the nuclear-powered submarine for several months.

Russia
is currently modernising the 45,000t aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya,
formerly Adm Gorshkov, at the Shemash shipyard for the Indian Navy; it
is expected to join the Indian fleet in early 2013.

Presently,
India possesses a conventional diesel-electric submarine fleet, which
includes four German HDW submarines and ten Russian-origin Kilo-class
vessels.